Teddies Talks Biology - Fourth Edition

Artificial Sweeteners Benjamin Wan - U6th

Aspartame and Acesulfame K. What are they? These are two of the most common artificial sweeteners especially prevalent in sugar-free fizzy drinks but are also in sugar-free gum and table-top sweeteners. This includes Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero. There are many rumours that these artificial sweeten- ers are detrimental to the body and they can trig-

Acesulfame K has also come under fire for pos- sibly being carcinogenic and potentially affecting pregnancy. However, the European Food Safety Authority has dismissed this. Acesulfame K is not broken down when taken into the body. It is simply absorbed and excreted chemically un- changed. The NHS suggests the acceptable dai- ly intake of Acesulfame K is 9mg per kg of body weight.

ger migraines and can cause cancer. How- ever, a lot of follow up stud- ies have been conducted and have dismissed

In conclusion, these two arti- ficial sweeten- ers are safe to consume and if they did pose as car- cinogenic they would not be used in our drinks. They

the previous controversial studies that suggested that artificial sweeteners were harmful.

can also be extremely good substitutes for sugar for people trying to reduce their intake of sugars. They are also good substitutes as they do not cause tooth decay and reduce number of calo- ries consumed. Soft drink brands have in- creased their focus into sugar free/ reduced sug- ar options to target the increase in obesity in the population. These drinks rely on sweeteners as a substitute to sugar, as there has been signifi- cant research into the possible negative effects of sweeteners. The research has shown that at the level we are consuming these sweeteners on a day to day basis, it should have any adverse effects

A study into aspartame in 2013 by the European Food Safety Authority (EUFA) conducted an in- depth review of the evidence and concluded that aspartame was safe for human consumption, including pregnant women and children. Very little Aspartame enters the bloodstream, as it is broken down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. However, people who suffer from the condition of phenylketonuria (PKU), where the individual cannot breakdown phenylalanine. The NHS suggests that the acceptable daily in- take of Aspartame is 40mg per kg of body weight.

Issue 4 | Teddies Talks Biology

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